Folklórico performers dressed in vestuarios, traditional wear that correlates with different regions of Mexico, danced on stage as attendees watched from the grass at the Anisq’Oyo Park for Isla Vista Recreation & Park District’s Cinco de Mayo concert on May 3.
Folklórico dancers performed at Anisq’Oyo Park in celebration of Cinco De Mayo. Levi Kauffman / Daily Nexus
Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration of Mexico’s military victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. According to Assistant Recreation Coordinator for the Isla Vista Recreation & Park District (IVRPD) Oscar Ramirez, although Cinco de Mayo isn’t an “official holiday,” it is still an opportunity to showcase Latine culture in Isla Vista.
The event featured performances from UC Santa Barbara student group Raíces de mi Tierra as well as local bands Equipo Élite and Tamborazo Los Únicos. There was also a mechanical bull, clothing and art stands and free Mexican food from Super Cucas.
According to the 2024 census, Isla Vista is 23.3% Hispanic or Latino.
“We want to be able to celebrate our Mexican and Latino heritage here that has been pretty much ingrained into I.V. culture since I.V. was founded,” Ramirez said. “Isla Vista and Santa Barbara were partly founded by the Mexican and Latino community here. A lot of the work here comes from the residents that are from that community, and we want to be able to uplift that community to be better known and to show off their heritage.”
IVRPD organized the event alongside Raíces de mi Tierra, an Associated Students Boards, Committee and Unit that performs traditional Mexican folklórico dance. Raíces de mi Tierra Co-Chair and fourth-year environmental studies major Sarah Rodriguez shared the positive impact the group has had on her and the community.
“I remember my first year, [the Mexican community] felt a little small, I couldn’t find my community. I’ve been dancing folklórico since I was seven years old, so finding this space was really helpful,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just really cool to showcase our culture and [have] community members come up to us and [say], ‘I rarely see this out here,’ or, ‘My kid really enjoyed watching this.’”
Rodriguez hopes the event inspired Latine children in the community to express their culture, even in higher education.
“Since we’re college students, it’s perfect with the little kids. They come up to us and it’s showing them, ‘Hey, you can still be loud and proud about your culture and receive a higher education,’” Rodriguez said.
El Congreso, a Chicanx/Latinx support group and political student organization, served aguas frescas at their table. Jasmine Rebollar, co-representative chair for El Congreso and fourth-year aquatic biology major, said she hoped the event would promote their organization.
“Chancellor Yang really loves to call us [an] HSI, which stands for Hispanic-Serving Institution,” Rebollar said. “The numbers say there’s 25% of us, but we feel a lot smaller and because of that we really try to emphasize being together and connect[ing] to this and do events like this.”
The Isla Vista Small Artists Cooperative helped organize the event and invited artists who shared jewelry, stickers and other trinkets.
“I love sharing a little bit about my culture, and I feel like the Cinco de Mayo event is a great way,” vendor and psychology graduate student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education Rebecca Aviña said. “I’ve met a lot of really cool people, and I’m glad that they love a little bit of my interests, and it’s a little bit of me going home with them.”
Second-year English major Atzi Ibarra said she enjoyed the event, especially the mechanical bull. She also appreciated the event as a member of the Latine community.
“It’s fun to bring the community together. We are part of the Latin community, so it’s super, super important to us to celebrate Mexico,” Ibarra said.
Rodriguez, who believes that events like Cinco de Mayo help overcome separation she’s observed in the community, hoped the event strengthened the I.V. Latine community.
“Everyone bonding over food, over music, is just a really great time. So I hope everyone has [a good] time and wants this to keep happening so we can keep creating these community events and spaces,” Rodriguez said.
A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the May 8, 2025 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
